Trinity Environmental Academy (TriEA) – Executive Leadership

Michael Hooten, Chief Executive Officer and Superintendent

​Leading Trinity Environmental Academy as Chief Executive Officer and Superintendent is Michael Hooten. He has been worked in Dallas charter schools since 2003. His experience in education has brought him through years as a certified science teacher, instructional coach, leadership roles of Dean of Instruction and Secondary Director, last as the Director of Project Management at one of the largest charter networks in North Texas. During his instructional tenure, he led up to 60 teachers and staff in a TEA Exemplary Rated District, developed the programming for and was awarded an IB World School designation from the International Baccalaureate Organization, received the highest “model school” rating as a T-STEM school Director, was identified as having 2012’s #8 and 2013’s #5 Most Transformational Schools in America as determined by Newsweek, and facilitated a 19% average increase in AP scores in one just year – a district and network best. This was a result of his transformational leadership style, instructional knowledge, meticulous team development, and self-motivating scholar achievement strategies. As a professional educator, he has been a servant leader in Dallas urban communities developing and advocating for the at-risk, gifted, special populations and socioeconomically challenged scholars his entire career. It is here he finds his greatest joy and drive for systemic educational reform and learning equality for all people, collaborating with effective and passionate educators who want to share in this worthy mission. Michael is a graduate of the University of Texas at Dallas with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, has two adopted sons and enjoys camping, hiking, and rock climbing.

Jennifer Hoag, Chief Academic Officer

​For the past eleven years, Ms. Hoag has been teaching science in charter schools in Dallas serving low income, At-Risk students. She earned a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from the University of Texas at Dallas in Science Education while serving as the School Director of the Pegasus School of Liberal Arts and Sciences where she oversaw a campus of more than 400 students in grades 4-12 and a faculty of 35 teachers. During the eight years she was at Pegasus she developed a relationship with the Sierra Club to promote outdoor education activities through their Inner City Outings program. While on hikes and camping trips, students are taught the basics of environmental stewardship through this partnership that continues today. Since 2010, she has served as an Instructional Coach for A+ Academy, a charter school in southeast Dallas. Her commitment to STEM education is evidenced by the grant from the Jiv Daya Foundation Ms. Hoag received for a class set of Kindle Fires to implement across the curriculum for her 11th grade students at A+ Academy.

Sustainable Education Solutions (SES) – Board Members

Lisa Tatum, Board President and Director

After completing a Bachelor of Arts from Oklahoma State University, Lisa Tatum joined the National Civilian Community Corps, an AmeriCorps program, where she traveled the west coast contributing more than 3,400 hours of community service to nonprofits. She then continued as the Service-learning Coordinator, developing education activities and planning projects for AmeriCorps members. Ms. Tatum continued her investment in service at the American Red Cross – Dallas Area Chapter and the Student Conservation Association. As a contractor for HandsOn Network/Points of Light Foundation, she developed, conducted, and evaluated online training in the field of volunteer management. Ms. Tatum also coordinated programs for the Student Conservation Association in Dallas, Texas where she developed a strong familiarity with both the need to provide environmental education to young people in North Texas and the resources available to do so. Ms. Tatum also served on the Executive Board of Directors for the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership in North Texas from 2007-2012. Recently, as the Disaster Service Manager for VolunteerNow, she used her expertise in preparedness and volunteer engagement/service-learning to train and retain dedicated volunteers for VolunteerNow’s disaster response as a part of the Mass Care Task Force. Today, this experience with VolunteerNow has led Ms. Tatum to work for the Dallas County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management where she serves as the Planning Section Chief. Ms. Tatum also has also served as the President and Founder of the AmeriCorps Alums of North Texas chapter since 2005. She also has a seat on the National Disaster Task Force for the Points of Light Foundations/HandsOn Network.

Dhriti Stocks, Board Vice President and Director

Dhriti Stocks began her nonprofit career as an AmeriCorps member with VolunteerNow (formerly the Volunteer Center of North Texas), leading service-learning programs and leadership development activities for youth volunteers. After her AmeriCorps term of service, she accepted the role of Grant Writer with the Volunteer Center. She continued her nonprofit work in her role as the Senior Development Manager at Junior Achievement of Dallas and Senior Development Writer for Children’s Medical Center Foundation. She currently serves as Director of Corporate Giving for the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. In her spare time, she co-leads the local chapter of AmeriCorps Alums, the AmeriCorps Alums of North Texas, and serves on the board of Trinity Environmental Academy. Ms. Stocks holds Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Austin College and Master of Public Affairs from University of Texas at Dallas.

Carolynne Chancellor Smith, Board Treasurer and Director

​Carolynne is a native Texan from Tyler. She graduated from Southern Methodist University with a Business Degree in Finance and Real Estate. After an internship during college with a real estate development firm, she continued with that firm, Elm Development Company, for the next 18 years. Elm originally invested in the West End area of Dallas that is now Victory Park, and was a major player in the redevelopment of Deep Ellum. Carolynne began her family with the birth of her daughter in 2000. That transition guided her to begin helping with a new Texas charter school, Pegasus School of Liberal Arts and Sciences. First as a volunteer, then a Board Member, she was appointed to Chief Financial Officer in 2002 and continued in that role until 2011. Further transitions have turned to something closer to the environment by growing grapes at her family property near Tyler and starting a vineyard in 2009 that now consists of 2 ½ acres of grapevines. With much guidance from the State of Texas agricultural extensions, and studies at Grayson County Community College Viticulture and Enology Program, she has turned her father’s cow pasture into a scenic and productive vineyard.

Kristin Shapiro, Board Director

Kristin was raised in the DFW area and attended Austin College where she graduated with a BA in Biology and Spanish. She immediately began teaching and has been a full time teacher in Plano ISD for the past seven years. She has taught a variety of courses ranging from Chemistry, Food Science, IB and AP Biology, as well as college-prep and AP Environmental Science. While she enjoys all subjects, Environmental Education quickly became her passion and she has overseen the Environmental Education program at her high school for the past five years. In addition to teaching in Plano, Kristin spends her summers developing environmental curriculum for a number of local school districts as well as grading national Environmental exams for AP credit. She also works with the National Math and Science Initiative helping teachers across the nation develop their own Environmental Education programs. In 2010 she spent her summer working for the Student Conservation Association where she met Lisa Tatum and lead student crews to build various trails throughout the Great Trinity Forest. Ms. Shapiro is passionate about the environment and hopes to work to spread Environmental Education to all students. She is specifically interested in community involvement as it relates to food production and sustainability.

Jennifer Boone, Board Secretary and Director

Born and raised in Dallas, Jennifer has deep roots in the community. She attended Texas A&M University, graduating with a B.S. in Renewable Natural Resources. She worked for Chairman Pete Sessions as an Agriculture and Natural Resource Policy intern in Washington, DC before graduating and moving back to Dallas. She started her career as an Environmental Specialist for Oncor Electric Delivery in Lancaster, TX, where she handled their industrial and hazardous waste. She has since transitioned into the produce industry, working as a Regional Sustainability Coordinator. She supports local farmers in developing food safety plans, enhancing sustainable agricultural practices, and increasing the availability of fresh, healthy, locally grown food across the nation. Jennifer has long been passionate about educating people about the relationship between a healthy environment and healthy humans.

Jason Ciarochi, Board Director

Jason was raised in south Dallas and graduated from Duncanville High School in 1992 before attending Rice University and receiving his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law. While in high school, he traveled nationally to compete in debate tournaments, won the Texas state tournament, and continued his interest in debate by teaching summer debate camps at the Victory Briefs Institute. He previously was involved in charitable functions as member of the Duncanville Rotary Club. Since then, he formed a Texas Non-Profit and I.R.S. recognized 501(c)(3) organization named “It’s Just Baloney” that focuses on feeding and providing clothing and toiletries to the homeless population in Dallas. He has expanded this network to include other groups that also provide services to the homeless, such as Feed-a-face foundation, S.O.U.L. Church (proving a weekly meal on Sundays), the homeless shelter Our Calling, and he also assists with Restoration Outreach of Dallas’ jail ministry. Prior to being an attorney, he has had internships with Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison in Washington, D.C., Justice Tim Taft of the Texas Court of Appeals, Chief Justice Nathan Hecht of the Supreme Court of Texas, the City of Dallas Attorney’s Office, and the trial and appellate division of the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. Prior to forming Ciarochi Law Firm, PLLC, Mr. Ciarochi worked for a large law firm with offices in Dallas and Houston. He has travelled to over thirty countries and is the proud father of an eight year old daughter who lives in Dallas.